Investigating the Relationship Between the Use of Social Media, Educational Decline, and Student Mental Health

The widespread presence of students in Telegram virtual social networks (VSNs) has provided a unique opportunity to track the effects of using this medium on their academic failure and mental health. Accordingly, this study explores whether the use of social media has a relationship with educational decline and student mental health. 

This correlation study was conducted in high schools in Khaf City, Iran, in the 2018-2019 academic year and included 1250 students (550 girls and 700 boys) who were selected via simple stratified random sampling. The data collection tools comprised a researcher-made questionnaire on the use of Telegram VSNs and the Keyes (2005) model of mental health. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software, version 22, and related tests. 

We found a significant relationship between the use of the Telegram network and educational decline. There is also a significant relationship between the use of the Telegram network and mental health. As the use of Telegram VSNs increases, there is an increase in fatigue in class and a reduction in study hours. Hence, this affects students’ educational decline directly and mental health adversely. 

We recommend that information about the positive and negative effects of Telegram VSNs should be provided to users, and measures should be taken in schools to introduce and create a culture and useful and scientific use of Telegram VSNs.